Election Day Impact Differs In The District

Election officials in the District are not expecting a huge turnout today. The Democrats hold about a 10-to-1 edge in terms of registered voters over Republicans, so it's typically the primaries in September that determine the outcomes, not the general elections.

In fact, the Republicans did not field a candidate against Democratic nominee Vincent Gray in the mayoral race. The more interesting question will be: How many write-in votes does current Mayor Adrian Fenty receive today?

While D.C. lacks a vote in Congress, the result of today's Congressional races could have major ramifications for the District. If the GOP takes back the House, some of the city's new progressive laws--same-sex marriage, medical marijuana, the new gun-control regulations--these laws could be targeted by Republican leadership.